Sport
Can my child with haemophilia play sport?
Yes, sport is beneficial. Most activities are safe,
but a few body contact sports such as boxing
and football are not recommended. Likewise
some ‘adventure’ sports such as bungee
jumping are not recommended.
What should I encourage my child to do?
Exercise is very good for your child’s well being.
It is recommended that exercise be integrated
into your child’s life and the lifestyle of the whole
family.
The more children with haemophilia look after
themselves and keep themselves fit, the less prone they will be to joint and
muscle bleeds. Activities which involve the use of muscles and joints can be
immensely advantageous to your child. There are many activities and noncontact sports available in the community to suit a range of interests and
abilities – you just have to be creative!
Encouraging your child to take part in physical activity will keep him feeling
much healthier. There is nothing which can totally prevent bleeds, but keeping
fit and healthy will definitely reduce the possibility, and speed his recovery after
each one.
If other family members can become involved in these healthy activities, they
will be healthier too!
Chapter 7
7.1
How much risk is associated with playing sports?
All activities involve an element of risk. It is difficult to categorise the relative
risk of each sport, as there are many variable factors. Each child is different
and sports may vary depending on the club, level of competition, etc. It is
therefore recommended that you consult your child’s physiotherapist and other
health professionals at your local haemophilia treatment centre before
commencing a new sport for a review of his individual needs and abilities.
They can give you guidance regarding suitable sports and the appropriate
preventative measures for that individual situation. The risk of injury for all
sports can be minimised if appropriate precautions and strategies are adopted
so that children gain the benefits of an active lifestyle.
What if he wants to play football?
Contact sports are not recommended for children with haemophilia.
“When he first asked us if he could play football, we said, ‘No’.
We don’t believe that it is that important, and he always finds
other things to do. Sure he gets grumpy sometimes, but we feel
it’s better to be safe than sorry.”
“We never said ‘no’ to him, as long as it was something we
would let our other kids do. We explained to him that it would
hurt him later on, and it always did. Now he doesn’t even
think about playing football because he knows it hurts too
much.”
If he wants to play football, tell him that it is very risky and that it may result in
him having to have treatment, or a very serious injury. Head injuries can result
in bleeding into the brain, which can be very serious or even fatal.
One way parents avoid this tricky situation is to introduce their child to other
interests such as music, sailing etc before he is old enough to play football. By
the time the child is old enough to play football, he will be too caught up in his
interests to even consider football. Whether or not this works will vary from
family to family, and depends on the strength of his interest in the other activity
or sport.
You need to find a balance between guiding your child into activities and
interests which are lower risk than contact sports, such as swimming, athletics
Chapter 7
7.2
and tennis, whilst encouraging independence and choosing other hobbies and
interests. Compromises are often made. For example, some boys become
umpires, or become involved in the management of the football team.
Over time and with your support, your child will take responsibility for his own
actions and will be able to determine appropriate activities for himself.
What about helmets, knee pads and so on?
As discussed in previous chapters, some parents believe that children with
haemophilia should wear helmets and other protective items all the time to
prevent bleeds. Some parents think this helps, others do not believe it makes
a difference.
Wearing appropriate protective gear while playing some sports is sensible –
regardless of whether someone has haemophilia. This includes helmets for
cycling, appropriate padding for skateboarding and so on.
Your child with haemophilia should be encouraged to wear the correct safety
gear.
If you have further questions about sport or wearing safety gear contact your
haemophilia physiotherapists, doctors or nurses.
Chapter 7
7.3
Travel
There is no reason why you and your child with haemophilia cannot travel.
There are, however some sensible precautions you can take to ensure the
trip is as hassle-free as possible.
Before you leave
•
Let your Haemophilia Centre know you are planning a trip well
before you leave. This gives them time to discuss treatment options
with you, arrange letters and so on if required. The Centre can also
inform you if there are other requirements or tips for travelling to that
destination.
•
Request a letter of introduction from your Haemophilia Centre or
treating health professional outlining your child’s haemophilia and
treatment requirements. This will save a lot of time in an emergency.
•
Locate the nearest Haemophilia Centres and hospitals with
emergency departments for ‘just in case’. Your local Foundation or
Haemophilia Foundation Australia will be able to provide information
in Australia and overseas.
•
Find out about treatment while you are away. If your hospital gives
treatment, find out where you can go while away and make contact
with this hospital to ensure product will be available and advise
when you will be coming. If you treat at home, ensure you have
enough treatment product and equipment to last while you are away
or make adequate arrangements to access supplies of treatment
product on route.
•
If you are travelling by plane, you will be subject to airport security
checks and must take a letter from your Haemophilia Centre
explaining the need to carry needles, treatment product etc.
•
Check with your Haemophilia Centre about whether you need any
documentation from Australian authorities to take your treatment
product out of Australia and to bring any unused product back with
Chapter 7
7.4
you. Your doctor’s letter will usually be sufficient, but your
Haemophilia Centre will confirm this for you.
•
If you are going overseas, you should also find out if there are any
regulations about taking treatment product to the country of
destination or countries you visit on route. You may find useful
information on the World Federation of Hemophilia web site
www.wfh.org or contact Haemophilia Foundation Australia.
While you are away
•
Treat as discussed with your Haemophilia Centre.
•
If your child goes to hospital for treatment while away, take your
treatment product and letter from your doctor/Haemophilia Centre to
ensure faster attention.
When you get back
•
Let your Haemophilia Centre or doctor know if you had any
problems while you were away.
School camps
If your child is going on a camp it is a good idea to take the steps on the
previous page and also ensure that the adults attending the event are
familiar with haemophilia and know what to do if your child has a bleed
while in their care.
Chapter 7
7.5
Babysitters
Getting away from the children once in a while is good for every parent.
Your child’s haemophilia shouldn’t stop you from enjoying time away.
There are a few things you can do to give you peace of mind while your
child is with a babysitter.
•
Tell the babysitter what haemophilia is.
•
Let the babysitter know how to tell if your child is having a bleed and
what to do.
•
Leave your mobile phone number (or another number to call to get
hold of you in an emergency) by the phone.
•
Leave them with contact details for the Haemophilia Centre and also
someone else to call in an emergency in case they can’t get hold of
you. These are best left near the phone.
You may like to prepare an information sheet similar to the one on page
7.8 of this chapter so the babysitter has all the information written down.
Chapter 7
7.6
School and child care
A child with haemophilia can attend regular child care centres and schools.
They do not suffer any learning difficulties and thrive in settings where they
are with their peers.
Teachers today work with children who have a range of illnesses and
disabilities. Haemophilia is rare, so they may not have come across a child
with it before. You may need to educate them about haemophilia and
ensure they know what to do if your child has a bleed.
Sometimes haemophilia nurses or Haemophilia Foundation staff are able
to send you information for your school or centre staff to teach them about
haemophilia. Haemophilia Foundation Australia can provide brochures
which may assist teachers.
Chapter 7
7.7
Information for babysitters
My child is like other children of the same age. He loves the same foods,
games and stories. The only difference is that he has haemophilia.
Haemophilia is an inherited blood clotting disorder that affects around one
in 5,000 Australian boys. It is not infectious and you cannot ‘catch’ it.
Like everyone, if my son bumps or cuts himself, he may bleed. He bleeds
no faster than anyone else, just longer. This doesn’t mean he will bleed to
death or that he can’t play. In fact, he does just about everything other
children his age do.
I have a few requests while my son is in your care:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Please discourage rough play.
Minor bumps and cuts are to be expected with any normal active child.
However if my son has a hard fall and hits his head or has a throat injury
contact me immediately.
When I return, please let me know whether he has cut or bumped
himself. These injuries can happen with the best of supervision, so don’t
blame yourself.
Please do not give him medicine, particularly aspirin.
In keeping with good health practices, please wash your hands well with
soap after assisting my son with toileting.
If you have questions or want to know more about haemophilia, I am happy
to talk with you in more detail. Meanwhile, have fun!
IMPORTANT PHONE NUMBERS:
In case of emergency, we are at:
__________________________________
Phone:
______________________
Mobile:
Doctor:
______________________
Doctor’s phone:
Instructions:
______________________
_______________
__________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
Chapter 7
7.8